232 PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Dec, 1889. 



Bottle d contained about 5 c.c. of a liquid which had a slightly more acid 

 reaction and taste than the liquid found in bottles a and 5. 



The legitimate deduction to be made from these observations is, that the 

 source of the drops, in this case, is the grape vine. This has been an unusual- 

 ly Avarm Autumn, as shown by the thermometrical reports taken on the days 

 that the observations were made. The frost and cold weather, which we had 

 earlier in the season, have shorn the gi-ape vine of its leaves, and the subsequent 

 warm weather has caused the sap to continue to flow into its branches. This, 

 instead of causing a premature development of the buds, to be destroyed by the 

 first frost, passes out, by some provision of Nature, at or near the bud. This 

 liquid falls on the upper surface of the Oak leaves and remains there until the 

 quantity becomes too great for the leaf to support, or until it is disturbed by 

 the action of the winds. Tt then rolls off, breaks into a number of small drops 

 from the resistance of the air or the leaves and branches which it meets in its 

 path. 



Tests and close observations have allowed us to exclude the condensation of 

 moisture in the atmosphere and the action of insects, and have permitted us to 

 trace the liquid from the ground to the leaves, and thence to the grape vine. 

 Over every point where the leaves were found to hold the hquid, the grape vine 

 could be seen passing in more or less abundance. The gTape vine did not ex- 

 tend into the North East parts of the Oak tree, and under these portions of the 

 tree no drops could be found. The cutting of the trunk that supplied the Ce- 

 dar and the subsequent complete cessation of the fall of the drops under this 

 tree, corroborates the facts already learned from the liquid found in the bottles 

 attached to the branches of the second trunk of the grape vine, that is, that the 

 grape vine is the source of the drops and the cause of the phenomenon of this 

 " Raining Oak". 



December 21st, 1889. 



Since writing the above article, my attention was called by Mr, J. C. H. 

 Olaussen to a "raining tree " at his farm, about four miles from this City. This 

 farm is leased by Mr, Charles Bencken, who kindly showed me the tree, exam- 

 ination showed, however, that the "rain" was not restricted to the tree which 

 I had come to see, but that not less than ten trees exhibited this phenomenon. 

 Adjoining the stable of the farm yard, there are four Catalpas (6\ bignonioides) 

 from each of which the drops could be felt and seen, although comparatively 

 few in number. In the drive leading to the farm yard, there are four Linden 

 trees ( TlUa Americana, ) under which the drops could be felt to such a degree 

 that one was instinctively led to look at the sky to see if it was not raining in 

 reality. The tenant of a neighboring house, who has recently moved into this 

 locality, informed me that the children had come into the house repeatedly to 

 tell her that "it was raining" which had caused her much surprise, as she did 

 not know of the existence of the "raining trees". In the garden of the farm- 

 house, I found two Magnolias ( M. grandiflora ) from which the f alHng drops 

 could also be felt, though less in number. As these trees were only about 25 

 ft. in height, I procured a ladder, which two men held in a perpendicular posi- 



